

#376 Jensen Huang: Founder of Nvidia
Key Takeaways
- Greatness does not come from intelligence; it comes from character, which can only be earned from overcoming adversities and developing perseverance
- Strategy is not words; strategy is action
- The Mission is the Boss: Nvidia exists to serve a mission and not for the sake of perpetuating its existence
- Refuse to be outworked and be unapologetically extreme in your dedication; working long hours is a necessary prerequisite for excellence
- Do what is natural and organic to you so that you enjoy it and can do it for a long period
- The Speed of Light Framework for project execution: Instead of judging performance based on past performance or against the competition, judge yourself against the theoretical maximum of what can be achieved in the minimum amount of time; the law of physics should be your only constraint
- Jensen tortures people into greatness: “The work” is the most important thing, not people’s feelings
- Hone the sword by seeking conflict: Opportunity handled well leads to more opportunity
- Innovation is a necessity, not an option
- Nvidia has a flat organizational structure that (1) Enables employees to act with more independence and (2) Filters out low-performing employees who are unaccustomed to thinking for themselves
- Ship the Whole Cow: Nvidia found ways to package and sell hardware that it previously would have discarded; this helped it mitigate low-end market competition and insulate itself from the innovator’s dilemma
- Complacency kills: The enemy is not the competition, but the company falling victim to complacency – both real and imagined
Read the full notes @ podcastnotes.org
What I learned from reading The Nvidia Way: Jensen Huang and the Making of a Tech Giant by Tae Kim.
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“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — Gareth
Be like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast